ABT Reopening with Confidence COVID-19 Guide by Beauty & Hairdressing / Irish Beauty Magazines

We are

Insurance

ABT Insurance Mini Guide to COVID-19 We are

Membership

We are

Accreditation

REOPENING with Confidence This information is advisory only and has been produced to assist members, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s by no means exhaustive nor a set of rules that must be followed. You do not need to adhere to all the points within to be insured, quite simply â&#x20AC;&#x201C; provided you are operating legally in line with Government and local authority guidelines, the policy will respond to allegations of negligence against the policyholder. The information is based upon opinion, expertise and public knowledge as of 1.6.2020; it has not been issued by the Irish Government (www.gov.ie). Please check the government website for the latest updates and ensure that you are complying with government guidance. This information does not constitute legal requirement. ABT do not incur any liability for this information.

What is COVID-19? Epidemic vs Pandemic What is a Pandemic What is an Epidemic An epidemic is the occurrence of more cases of a disease than would be expected in a geographical location. It affects many people at the same time, and spreads from person to person in a community or region where the disease is not permanently prevalent.

What is a virus Viruses invade living cells, in this instance within the human body, and use those cells to multiply to produce replicated viruses of themselves. They do this by using the ‘goodness’ from the cell they have invaded ‘the host’. Each ‘host’ cell has a nucleus and within that the virus finds the proteins it needs to copy their genetic material before infecting other cells. They need living cells to continue the chain of infection and we need to break this chain to stop the virus from spreading.

A pandemic is when an epidemic occurs in various geographical locations worldwide, or over a wider international range. A pandemic is an epidemic that spreads and crosses over international boarders and has no boundaries about how far it can travel and is why it usually affects large amounts of people and populations. Pandemics can be used to describe poverty, or in this case a disease.

What is the Coronavirus There are six species of human coronaviruses that are known, one species has subdivided in to two strains, therefore making seven strains of human coronaviruses altogether that are known. Coronaviruses have been around for many years and were first detected in the 1960s. Coronaviruses come from a family of viruses that are known to cause a range of illnesses from the common cold to more severe diseases such as MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) first identified in 2012 in Saudi Arabia and SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). SARS was identified and declared an epidemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2003 however by July 2003 no area of the world has reporting transmissions of SARS. The SARS virus first infected humans in 2002 in the Guangdong province of southern China quite similarly to the current COVID-19 which was first identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019.

What is COVID-19 COVID-19 is a disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus. ‘CO’ stands for corona, ‘VI’ for virus, and ‘D’ for disease. Formerly, this disease was referred to as ‘2019 novel coronavirus’ or ‘2019-nCoV.’ The COVID-19 virus and as mentioned before is a new virus linked to the same family of viruses as SARS and some types of common cold.

Who can get it Anyone can get COVID-19. Those aged over 70 seem to be more vulnerable than those aged under 70, as are people with pre-existing medical conditions including asthma, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and lung disease such as chronic respiratory disease along with those with weakened immune systems through other illnesses such as cancer.

This information is advisory only and has been produced to assist members, it’s by no means exhaustive nor a set of rules that must be followed. You do not need to adhere to all the points within to be insured, quite simply – provided you are operating legally in line with Government and local authority guidelines, the policy will respond to allegations of negligence against the policyholder. The information is based upon opinion, expertise and public knowledge as of 1.6.2020; it has not been issued by the Irish Government (www.gov.ie). Please check the government website for the latest updates and ensure that you are complying with government guidance. This information does not constitute legal requirement. ABT do not incur any liability for this information.

Epidemic vs Pandemic Prevention To stop the chain of infection, we need to practice prevention techniques that will slow down the transmission of the virus and protect ourselves and others from possible infection. We can do this by: Washing your hands regularly with soap and water or cleaning them with alcohol-based hand rub.

Always use a disposable tissue to catch airborne droplets when you cough or sneeze, and dispose of it after use. If you don’t have a tissue to hand, cough or sneeze into a flexed elbow. Always wash your hands immediately with soap and water or an alcoholbased hand rub. In line with current social distancing guidelines, maintain at least 2 metre distance between you and other people. The COVID-19 virus may survive on surfaces for several hours, but disinfectants can kill it so make sure you are thoroughly wiping down surfaces and objects regularly. Avoid touching your face. Practice physical distancing by avoiding unnecessary travel and staying away from large groups of people. To practice good health you could also refrain from activities that weaken the lungs for example smoking. If you experience any recognised symptoms of COVID-19 (see below), stay at home.

How does COVID-19 spread?  COVID-19 spreads in a similar way to the flu via the nose, eyes and mouth. When some is carrying the COVID-19 virus, they release and transmit respiratory infected fluid droplets by exhaling, sneezing and coughing. If you are standing within the social distancing perimeters of a person who has COVID-19, you may catch it by breathing in those infected droplets. Not only that, those infected droplets may also fall onto nearby surfaces and objects such as tables and phones contaminating a hard surface for several hours. Someone else who touches a surface or object that has been contaminated with the COVID-19 virus, and then touches their nose, mouth or eyes, could also catch the virus.

Follow government guidelines, these can be found on gov.ie

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?  A high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature) A new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual) A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal COVID-19 affects different people in different ways. On average it takes five to six days from when someone is infected with the virus for symptoms to show, however it can take up to 14 days.

Many of those who have experienced COVID-19 report fever, cough and shortness of breath, symptoms similar to the flu (influenza) or the common cold, which are a lot more common than COVID-19. More rarely, the disease can be fatal. Most infected people will develop a mild to moderate illness, and those who are otherwise healthy should manage their symptoms at home and recover without hospitalisation. Current government guidance is to stay at home (self isolate) and telephone your GP if you start to feel very unwell, especially if your breathing becomes difficult or your cough gets worse. If you develop a fever or any respiratory symptoms phone your GP or HSELive on 1850 24 1850. If you are very short of breath and cannot reach someone, call the emergency services on 112 or 999.

Contents 2

What is COVID-19?

What ABT are Doing

Guidance for re-opening your salon safely

Guidance for operating your mobile business safely

Your Free Poster â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;How We are Complying with Salon Guidelinesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Useful Resourses

ABT have felt the need to wait for government announcements to best guide our members on the most up-to-date information to provide confidence and safety for both yourself, clients and staff. We have been cautious not to mislead members with inaccurate or incomplete guidance which does not comply with government guidelines and could lead to serious implications for the health and safety of business owners, staff and clients as well as unnecessary products being bought that might not meet government guidelines as well as limiting much needed resources of equipment for front line workers. With salon re-opening possible from 29th June, we now feel this is the time to release information to help ABT members and the wider industry. If ABT is your insurance provider please keep checking back on our specific COVID-19 page on www.abtinsurance.ie as well as following us on ABT social media platforms where we will update you on any further findings in regards to guidelines, standards and your policies.

What ABT are Doing?

What is ABT doing Throughout this time ABT has remained open to do all we can for our members. We have upgraded our communication lines to provide a level of service to our new and existing members and have been there to support you on live chat, phone, email, messenger and web throughout this crisis, answering your questions and queries to the best of our knowledge and seeking advice and help from our brokers and underwriters when it comes to understanding the law and government guidelines. We have also been making sure your policies have been kept up to date with the new qualification certificates you have been sending in and renewing those policies where necessary as well as helping new members take out policies and start their journey with ABT. Claims that have arisen during this time have been handled as quickly as possible as well and we have also been dealing with an additional surge in our new service of online accreditation whilst continuing to accredit those courses for when we can resume a face to face style of learning again in the future.

Accreditation When faced with unprecedented times, the ABT team worked fast to create a solution to keep our industry going. We negotiated with our underwriters, brokers and respective Associations to enable training schools, academies and colleges to continue to operate with new online teaching techniques including live streaming apps. Most importantly, this means that you – our Members – can continue to develop and grow, choosing courses and adding new treatments to your businesses. What could be a better conversation starter than telling clients through your social media channels that you have new treatments to offer! ABT’s Accreditation Team have worked as quickly as possible through applications from training schools that have taken up the initiative since we launched ABT Online Accreditation at the end of March shortly after lockdown restrictions came into place. ABT Online Accreditation has now accredited over 150 colleges and in excess of 640 courses for online teaching with more added daily. To be sure the course you are choosing is accredited properly, look out for the new ABT Online Accredited logo or check the course you are looking in to doing is on the ABT Online Accreditation list at www.irishbeauty.ie In this time of need within our industry, we think of it as ‘physically distancing but socially learning online’.

We have received some fantastic feedback to ABT Online Accreditation including:

“I also want to take this opportunity to thank ABT for allowing online courses during this awful time, the best thing I ever did was change my accreditation to ABT; if we hadn’t been allowed to train using the online training option my business would have totally gone. Thank you for all your hard work during this time too.” “Wowee thank you so much, this is such fantastic news and so quickly too! I really can’t thank you enough! I am going to take great pride and joy adding the ABT Accredited logo to all of my manuals and the certificate.” “The Virtual Academy is being really well received by our learners, they are really enjoying this flexible way of learning!” For those interested in ABT Online Accreditation for your training school, please email accreditation@abtinsurance.co.uk

Keeping you up-to-Date We have also been updating you daily on the latest industry news via our membership website www.irishbeauty.ie, making sure our industry stays alive throughout this time and more recently providing you with roadmaps, guides and articles on re-opening. Now’s a great time to visit the website to benefit from these resources, as well as news on Summer ’20 product launches, if you’ve yet to do so. All ABT members and non-members have been kept informed with the latest industry news straight to their inbox with our ABT and Irish Beauty bi-weekly newsletter. We hope you have found this informative and useful during the last couple of months. We will continue to send these to you every other week.

Resources Within this document there are resources that can be used as visual aids around your salon, and/or sent to your clients to engage with them and let hem know you are re-opening. These include a ‘How We are Complying with Salon Guidelines’ poster for you to display in your salon or treatment room.

How ABT is Supporting You ABT Membership & Insurance

3 months free insurance with ABT

If your ABT membership – or insurance with another provider – is due for renewal, or has lapsed during lockdown, remember to renew it now.

To help with the current situation, ABT feels it is only right to offer three months’ free insurance to our members. This is as a gesture of goodwill from ABT as we are unable to freeze or hold insurance policies, and recognised the time you have been unable to work in a face-to-face environment. We hope this will help in getting businesses large and small back on the road to a thriving and insured industry with heighten standards that we have all been made aware of over this period.

It’s imperative that you keep continual cover in place at this moment in time. Continuous coverage refers to having insurance coverage without any lapses. It is important as it may have legal ramifications if a claim is made against you or you need to make a claim. You should consider what your policy provides cover for, and choose a policy for Professional Liability, Public and Product Liability Insurance, which all ABT policies are. Even whilst your salon is closed, if you are still providing advice or instruction to any clients, even virtually (via online platforms such as Zoom etc), you will still have the need to protect you and your business against breach of your professional duty. Legal defence and damage payouts can be costly. If your policy includes insurance cover for loss, destruction and or damage to physical assets that you own and/or are responsible for then, a suitable policy should remain in force. The likelihood of a fire, flood, theft/vandalism etc still remains. Consider insurance requirements under any contracts you may have entered into for the leasing of equipment and/or property; you may be contractually bound to continue with insurance cover.

We will be sending out emails to all our members to notify you of how to avail of this one-off offer once trading and our industry is open again. If your policy renewal falls before this time, then we have been doing all we can by providing 12 Months’ insurance for the price of 10 months for those that use code 124TEN available via our website www.abtinsurance.ie. This has meant the difference between continual cover for businesses and no cover at all, and ABT will continue to do all we can to make sure our industry comes back stronger than before. If you would like to find out more about ABT Insurance please visit www.abtinsurance.ie, call us on 1800 625 180 from a landline or +44 1789 773434 from a mobile, Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm or live chat, email or messenger us and we will do our best answer your query as quickly as possible.

If you don’t currently have insurance, choose a policy that’s right for you, think about all the treatments you are qualified in, the treatments you are thinking about training in and don’t underestimate the amount of insurance cover you will need. Be aware of exclusions, claims excesses, patch test requirements and declarations agreed too as well as extra charges and endorsements. In addition, choose a policy that is ‘claims occurring’ wording to get long term protection. ABT policies include €6.5 million each of Professional Liability Insurance, Public Liability Insurance, Product Liability Insurance, and Medical Malpractice/Treatment Risk Insurance, and you can add new treatments to the policy as your skills grow.

“If you don’t currently have insurance, choose a policy that’s right for you”

Guidance for re-opening your salon safely Social distancing In line with government guidance, social distancing should be maintained as much as practically possible; at present, a social distance of two metres is in force. Therefore, clients and staff should socially distance on arrival and departure, when moving through the salon and treatment areas. Naturally, closer contact is required for performing treatments, which is why other protocols, such as the use of PPE, are so important.

Whilst social distancing guidance is in place, do not hug or embrace your clients or your staff.

If someone makes an allegation or claim against you, report it immediately to ABT and follow the claims procedure. Balens and ABT will support you in the ‘normal way’ by getting all relevant information together for insurers. Do not admit liability and please refer to your policy document for full claims conditions.

Staff should be reminded of social distancing protocols in staff rooms and kitchen areas as well.

Please see the ABT website for full details and check your policy wording ‘ABT Terms of Business’ for full details.

Hand hygiene

Risk Assessments

On arrival at the salon, clients and staff should be directed to a sink to wash their hands; in line with government guidance, hands should be washed with soap and water for 20 seconds. Provide paper or disposable towels for drying hands. Alcohol-based (minimum 70%) hand sanitiser should also be available for use by staff and clients.

Use the information below to highlight areas in your salon and business practice that might need addressing and special focus. This should look at the risks pertinent to clients as well as staff working in the salon.

Clients or staff with COVID-19 symptoms In line with government guidance, anyone displaying COVID-19 systems (see page 3) must self-isolate for at least seven days. If they live with someone displaying COVID-19 symptoms, they’ll usually need to self-isolate for 14 days. In both circumstances, neither staff nor clients should attend the salon. You should make it clear to clients upon booking their appointment that if they or anyone they live with experiences any COVID-19 symptom, they must not come to the salon. Under contact tracing systems, if a client who has visited you recently tests positive for COVID-19 and lists you and/or your staff as recent contacts, you will be contacted and instructed what to do next and any further action required. At the time of writing, advice is that individuals will be told to restrict your movements for 14 days from your last contact with the person who tested positive. COVID-19 and your insurance If a client claims to have contracted COVID-19 during a visit to your salon, provided, as an ABT member, you (the policy holder) are operating legally in line with government and local authority guidelines, your insurance policy will respond to allegations of negligence against you, in the same way as for alleged injuries arising from treatment.

Health and Safety Statement Once you have carried out a risk assessment of your salon and working practices, create a Health and Safety Statement. This outlines what you will be doing to maintain the correct levels of health and safety in your salon, is a reminder for staff of the levels of compliance required and expected, and also reassures clients and staff that you are addressing the need for your salon to stay free of COVID-19. You can make your Health and Safety statement available via your website, and/or email a copy to clients on your mailing list. Remember also to distribute this to all members of staff.

Salon working hours & appointments In order to minimise the number of people in the salon environment at any one time, stagger appointments. Leave enough time between each appointment for thorough cleaning of surfaces etc (see Salon Hygiene). To enable you to treat as many clients as possible, extend the working day. This also means that you can organise a rota for staff so that they maintain as many working hours as possible without all needing to be in the salon at the same time. Be aware that staff will need to agree to changes in working hours as per their Contract of Employment. Do not allow walk-in appointments, as pre-booking will enable you to control the number of people in the salon as well as ensure it is hygienically clean between clients entering. 7

Guidance for re-opening your salon safely

Only allow the client booked in to attend the salon, do not allow children, partners or any one else to accompany them or wait in the reception area. Politely explain this is for the safety of staff and other clients. Consider taking pre-payments over the phone or online if possible, or alternatively take cash-less payments. Remember to sanitise the card payment machine after each use, even if a client has used contactless payment. Review your appointment policy and relay this to clients if it has changed; you may wish to consider your cancellation period and any refund policies to prevent clients attending appointments with COVID-19 symptoms.

Waiting / reception areas Only one client should be in a waiting area at a time, and this area should, as far as possible, only be used for transitioning from the reception area through to the treatment room. Ask clients to arrive on time for their appointment, not early explaining that there is no waiting area. If practical, keep your front door locked with a door bell system to prevent early clients from entering the salon. Remove any magazines, brochures, comments books etc from the area. Do not enable any unsupervised access to product samples etc. See Salon Hygiene for cleaning requirements.

Client Consultation As usual, carrying out a pre-treatment Consultation is vital (this is part of your ABT insurance requirements). Consider creating a digital form that clients can complete online prior to arrival to avoid handling papers and pens.

Salon refreshments If you choose to offer refreshments to clients, provide these in disposable cups. Following government guidance, you must limit the amount of contact between clients and staff, so removing the option of refreshments and inviting clients to bring their own drinks in their own travel cups etc would not be unreasonable.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) To date, the government has yet to issue direct guidance on what PPE should be worn by staff or clients in salons. Employers should provide staff with adequate PPE which can be disposed of safely. Clients should be asked to

provide their own PPE, although some salon owners may prefer to make PPE items available to clients on arrival. Masks: These should be worn by staff in the salon at all times. For adequate protection, choose fluid repellent masks such as N95, N99 or FFP-2 types. Clients may choose to wear their own mask in line with government guidance to wear face coverings in public places where social distancing is not possible (obviously treatments on the face will prevent this). Gloves: Single use gloves should be provided for staff to wear whilst carrying out treatments. Gloves are not a replacement for hand washing. They should be replaced regularly, and definitely between treatments. Always ensure that any tools can be handled correctly whilst gloves are being worn. Aprons: Single use aprons should be provided, which should be changed and disposed of after every treatment. Eye Protection / Visors: The wearing of eye protection and/or full face visors is a personal choice. Little is known about transmission of COVID-19 via the eyes. Full face visors may protect transmission through the eyes, nose and mouth. Choose an item that is comfortable to wear, and does not impede eyesight, with a visor that can be cleaned with alcohol-based sanitiser between clients and a head band that can be washed daily. Screens: Installing transparent cough or sneeze screens on areas such as the reception desk and nail tables, similar to those now seen at supermarket checkouts, to create a physical barrier between staff and clients is an option. However, it’s important to remember that these will need sanitising like any other hard surface between each client using an alcohol-based cleanser.

Uniforms Wearing uniforms in a salon can unite a team and deliver a professional appearance. However, it’s important that your chosen salon workwear is practical for today’s needs; staff need to wear a clean uniform every day, whether it’s a traditional salon uniform or branded T-shirts. Staff should change into their salon uniform on arrival at work, and not travel to work wearing it, especially if they are using public transport. Uniforms should be covered with a disposable plastic apron, changed between clients. Workwear must be machine washed at the end of every

day to the highest possible temperature using regular washing detergent. In line with standard salon health and safety guidance, hair should be tied up and away from the face.

Salon hygiene You should ensure that all staff are aware of your salon hygiene protocol, including if you employ a separate Cleaner, and that you have sufficient effective cleaning products in stock. Work areas: Whether you work in a hair salon, beauty salon or spa, all hard surfaces should be hygienically cleaned throughout the working day. A study published in the New England Medical Journal has shown that the COVID-19 virus can survive on hard surfaces for up to 72 hours. Any areas that clients come into contact with should be cleaned after each client, including reception desks, treatment chairs, seating, nail tables, couches, equipment trollies, toilets, wash basins etc. Don’t also forget door handles, door bells and card payment machines, along with computer equipment and telephones that staff may be using. Staff areas: Cleaning of staff rooms and staff toilets is vital; ensure all hard surfaces are sanitised regularly. Ensure furniture can be sanitised, and remove soft furnishing such as cushions that cannot be hygienically cleaned. Make sure that suitable cleaning products are available for staff to clean areas after they have used them, and ask them to wipe any hard surfaces including lunch items placed in a fridge. Bins: Any used PPE should be placed within a bin, double bagged, along with used couch rolls and used tissues. Metal bins in treatment areas should be lined with bin liners and have a lid, and emptied after every treatment. Towels and fabrics: Any towels should be treated as single use, and placed in a laundry bin with a lid after use. If you decide to continue using traditional fabric towels in the salon, they should be washed in a washing machine at the highest temperature possible using regular washing detergent. Do not share towels between clients. Always cover towels used on treatment couches with disposable paper couch roll.

Unless you have sufficient clean blankets, robes etc, avoid using these to cover clients. After one use, each must be washed in a washing machine at the highest temperature possible using regular washing detergent. Tools and equipment: You must be able to disinfect your tools between every treatment in line with manufacturers’ guidance, or alternatively use disposable tools. Do not share any tools between clients or staff without sterilising them. Disinfect your equipment as you would normally using products such as Barbicide between treatments. There are currently no restrictions within ABT’s policy to require use of autoclaves. You are advised to follow good hygiene and all up to date government guidelines. . ®

Soft furnishings: All seating should be hygienically cleaned between clients. Chairs with hard surfaces are more suited to this. For now, it is sensible to remove soft furnishings from the salon which may harbour the virus, including upholstered seating, cushions, drapes and curtains. Ventilation: Keep windows open as much as practically possible and use any installed ventilation system to reduce the distribution of airborne droplets that may transfer the COVID-19 virus. Retail products: Place all products that you are retailing away from the reach of clients. If you wish to display retail items, place them inside a glass fronted cabinet that clients cannot access. Remove any products for sale from your reception area to make it easier to clean and prevent clients from touching them. Tester/Product Samples: Do not allow any clients to handle any products including samples. You should hold the bottle / container and dispense product into your client’s hand, without touching them. Speak to your supplier about sample sachets that you can hand to clients with minimal contact. Legionnaires’ Disease: The government has advised that some places of work such as hairdressers and salons need to put in place control measures to avoid the potential for Legionnaires’ disease before they reopen. Further advice on preparing for the prevention of Legionnaires’ disease upon reopening is available online at: www.hsa. ie/eng/topics/biological_agents/specific_biological_ agents_infections/legionellosis/covid-19_legionella_ information_note.pdf

Guidance for operating your mobile business safely

At present, mobile beauty therapists, nail techs, hairdressers and barbers are unable to work inside clients’ homes in Ireland, as current lockdown guidance does not allow us to enter the homes of others.

Whilst you cannot be 100% sure that clients have carried out your request, highlighting what you expect them to do will help to make them conscious of what hygiene protocols they should be carrying out.

Entering someone’s home to deliver a treatment or service presents different issues to working in a salon. In a salon, you can control the environment around you; a salon owner or salon based therapist or hairdresser will know the hygiene routine established to enable a salon to open safely. These procedures, outlined on pages 8 and 9, should be put in place to protect both employees and clients, as well as the wider public. However, when you enter someone’s home, you are not in control of their hygiene practices and so you need to ensure you protect yourself and others.

You will also need access to a sink to wash your hands prior to beginning your treatments and upon leaving. Follow government guidance of washing hands in soap and water for 20 seconds.

Make sure you allow enough time between appointments to perform all of your hygiene protocols.

Risk Assessment To keep you and your clients safe, perform a Risk Assessment of the situation so that you can address every risk concerned. The below information will help form part of your Risk Assessment. Once you have this, write a Health and Safety Statement (see page 7), and distribute this to all existing clients to reassure them as well as to clients booking appointments with you.

Client home hygiene Before entering a client’s home environment, you need to be clear what you expect from your client. Study the salon and spa health and hygiene protocols identified on page 9, such as disinfecting communal areas and the rooms you will be working in, and create a checklist to email to all clients upon booking along with your Health and Safety Statement, asking them to agree to comply. Ask clients to make sure they thoroughly clean anything that you may be required to touch upon arrival such as a gate, door handle, doorbell, handrail etc. A study published in the New England Medical Journal has shown that the COVID-19 virus can survive on hard surfaces for up to 72 hours. Explain that hygiene protocols in the room you are working in and any communal areas you have to pass through are imperative for you and your client’s safety, and that you are unable to visit their home and conduct any treatments unless they are willing to agree to comply.

Make your client aware that they are to be the only person that you come into contact with during your visit. Their children, partners or other household members should not be present in the room when you arrive or are working. If is up to you whether you choose to use a client’s toilet facilities should this aspect of lockdown be lifted; it’s a personal choice but you may wish to carry sanitising wipes to ensure the surfaces you touch are hygienic.

Your professional equipment & treatments Sterilise your equipment as you would normally using products such as Barbicide between client visits, and use disposable tools where possible. Do not share any tools between clients without sterilising them. There are currently no restrictions within ABT’s policy to require use of autoclaves. You are advised to follow good hygiene and all up to date government guidelines. ®

Do not let clients touch any of your products or tools, including samples. If you want to demonstrate a product, you should hold the product bottle yourself and distribute the product onto your client’s hand, or ask your supplier for sample sachets that you can wipe clean before handing to your clients. Any products that travel between client homes should be wiped clean with sanitiser before you visit your next client, such as product bottles and containers, in addition to your carrying equipment, trolly etc. Again, this is because the COVID-19 virus can live on hard surfaces for up 72 hours.

Your Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) & workwear The PPE you require to use as mobile therapist or hairdresser is similar to that which salons should be using (see page 8), and is very important if you can’t control the hygiene of the environment you are working in. Always have plenty of hand sanitiser with you, and ensure your client sanitises their own hands prior to the

treatment beginning, regardless of whether you will be touching their hands. If they have to leave the room during the treatment, for example to use the toilet, ensure they re-sanitise their hands. Uniform-wise, you need to ensure that that virus cannot be transferred from home to home via your workwear. This could mean changing your uniform between visiting different locations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend washing clothing at the highest recommended temperature for each garment to ensure any Coronavirus is removed. If you can’t afford to invest in several sets of traditional salon uniforms to change in and out of during a day, a more practical option may be to buy a selection of smart T-shirts and bottoms that can be easily changed in and out of and laundered quickly.

The policy covers you against third party claims and allegations of negligently causing accidental bodily injury (which includes illness) in the course of your business. The onus will be on the claimant to prove you were negligent. Any claim will be individually judged by insurers and subject to the full policy terms and conditions. If someone makes an allegation or claim against you, report it immediately to ABT and follow the claims procedure. Balens and ABT will support you in the ‘normal way’ by getting all relevant information together for insurers. Do not admit liability and please refer to your policy document for full claims conditions. Please see the ABT website for full details and check your policy wording ‘ABT Terms of Business’ for full details.

In addition, think about your footwear. “I would suggest getting shoe coverings that you can use when going in to other people’s homes,” advises salon owner and educator, Marie-Louise Coster of All About Mi Beauty & Holistic Training. These can be removed when you leave and a new pair of show coverings applied when you reach your next client.

Clients with COVID-19 symptoms In line with government guidance, anyone displaying COVID-19 systems (see page 3) must self-isolate for at least seven days. If they live with someone displaying COVID-19 symptoms, they’ll usually need to self-isolate for 14 days. In both circumstances, you should not be entering their homes to perform treatments. Under contact tracing systems, if a client who has visited you recently tests positive for COVID-19 and lists you and/or your staff as recent contacts, you will be contacted and instructed what to do next and any further action required. At the time of writing, advice is that individuals

“Entering someone’s home to deliver a treatment or service presents different issues to working in a salon”

will be told to restrict your movements for 14 days from your last contact with the person who tested positive.

COVID-19 and your insurance If a client claims to have contracted COVID-19 whilst you have visited their home to perform a treatment, provided, as an ABT member, you (the policy holder) are operating legally in line with government and local authority guidelines, your insurance policy will respond to allegations of negligence against you, in the same way as for alleged injuries arising from treatment.

How We are Complying with Salon Guidelines 1. OUR SALON 4 We have undertaken a thorough review of our salon and the services we offer 4 We have rearranged our waiting, reception and treatment areas to adhere to social distancing guidelines

4. GUEST ARRIVAL & RECEPTION 4 We will greet you warmly but without a handshake or personal contact

4 All surfaces throughout the salon will be cleaned regularly and wiped with the appropriate cleaning product between each treatment

4 We will stagger customer arrival times to minimise close contact

4 All items of equipment will be cleaned before and after every treatment. This includes all metal instruments, brushes, bowels and tweezers

4 Where possible we will escort you straight to the treatment area/room to avoid congestion in waiting areas

4 One-use disposable items will be used where necessary (suitable alternatives kept where possible)

4 Waiting areas will be arranged to adhere to social distancing

4 We will ensure adequate ventilation throughout the salon with doors and windows open where possible

4 We ask that you pay using card or other cashless means where possible

2. OUR TEAM

5. WE ASK YOU, OUR CUSTOMERS

4 We have conducted training to ensure all team members care for our customers in a safe, hygienic and professional manner

To Arrive at the time agreed, to maximise social distancing

4 Staff have been trained to adapt each treatment to uphold best practice, including hygiene and safety 4 We have agreed social distancing for our team in communal staff areas 4 Staff are briefed to uphold safe standards while dealing with responsibilities at reception

4 We will clean the reception area regularly

To wash your hands and/or use hand sanitiser as directed by our team and before and after each treatment To wear face-masks supplied by us To contact us and re-arrange you appointment, if you have a temperature, or are feeling unwell or if any person in your household has the same or is self isolating. Do not come to the salon if you or anyone you live with is self -isolating or is displaying symptoms known to be consistent with COVID-19

3. OUR TREATMENTS 4 We have reviewed our treatment menu and removed treatments where we felt it necessary to do so 4 Our therapist will wear gloves, masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) during treatments where required. Therapists will wash their hands before and after every treatment

We are happy to discuss any of your individual concerns, please feel free to speak with a member of staff

4 PPE will be replaced after every treatment 4 Our Therapists will stay with you throughout your treatment - not entering out of the room - to reduce the need to replace PPE and minimise infection

Guidelines were correct at time of printing this document as of 1.06.20 and we reserve the right to change an adapt this poster to stay in line with government policies and guidelines as and when received.

FAQs - ABT Insurance

Can I go back to work now? Whilst we accept that certain businesses in the medical services industries (such as dental surgeries, opticians and audiology clinics, physiotherapy clinics, chiropody and podiatry clinics, and other professional vocational medical services) may have already reopened, we strongly advise ABT members not to reopen until 29th June. There is room for ambiguity in many treatments, and as such we have adopted the blanket position that face to face treatments should not be performed until 29th June at the very earliest, dependent upon government advice. Beauty salons and hairdressers have been placed in Phase 3 of lifting of the public health restrictions which comes into action on Monday 20th July. It should be noted that this roadmap is subject to change and will only come into effect when the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) agrees that the conditions are right following successful Phases 1-2.

Has my insurance been frozen while I have been unable to work? The answer is unfortunately not. ABT Membership and Insurance is for a ‘fixed term’ which means it cannot be extended or frozen. The insurance will continue to run and provide protection against claims, made in the situations where your policy is currently limited and valid for as mentioned before, virtual treatments, online consultations, tutorials for clients / occasional ‘teaching’ and demonstrations which can all be done within the guidelines of social distancing, or provide protection against claims which may still arise even if you are closed during this unfortunate situation. Therefore, as a gesture of good will we have put into place the 3 months free insurance offer, available as a one off to our members until September 2021. Once the code has been released all our members can take advantage online at the point of renewal.

Does my insurance, under normal trading circumstances, allow me to bulk buy nails, add nail art to them and sell them on to a customer as a painted set. I’m planning on supplying instructions on application and removal. This is covered under Product Liability – and as such retailing of Products to non-treatment based clients and has a maximum €30k turnover. Providing that you are only retailing the “Press on nail” kits to your clients to apply themselves at home and providing the packs of nails come with clear written instructions on how to apply and remove them, this would be acceptable for insurance purposes. You would not be insured to ‘teach’ your clients how to apply and remove the false nails, you are simply selling the product to them as you would any other retail item e.g. a nail polish, cleanser etc. The above applies to other products ‘retailed’ and not used in conjunction with a treatment. Full policy details should be checked and relevant qualifications held.

My insurance is due for renewal, but I am not working You should consider, what does your policy provide you cover for? If the policy is for Professional Liability, Public & Product Liability Insurance which all ABT policies are, and you are still providing advice, treatment, therapies or instruction to any clients, even virtually (via online platforms such as zoom etc) then, you will still have the need to protect you and your business for breach of your professional duty. Legal defence and damage payouts can be costly. If your policies include insurance cover for loss, destruction and/or damage to physical assets that you own and/or are responsible for then, we consider that any suitable policy should remain in force. The likelihood of a fire, flood, theft/vandalism etc still remains. Consider insurance requirements under any contracts you may have entered into for the leasing of equipment and/or property – you may be contractually bound to continue with insurance cover.

FAQs - ABT Insurance What cover applies to virus related claims? The policy covers you against third party claims and allegations of negligently causing accidental bodily injury (which includes illness) in the course of your business. The onus will be on the claimant to prove you were negligent. Any claim will be individually judged by insurers and subject to the full policy terms and conditions.

Should I include details of a client’s health with regards to COVID-19 in my Online Consultation? This would and should form part of the consultation process and if detailed, this would be submersible for a claim. It is less of a legal document issue, but more good practice and investing in the salon’s safety for staff and clients. Many people with COVID-19 are asymptomatic, or may not be showing any signs, so whilst it is great business practice it’s not exhaustive as all other safety measures apply.

Should I allow clients to bring their children into the salon? Only your client is to attend the appointment, even in their own home. From the point of view of insurance, only the client attending receiving the treatment is insured, i.e. children are not insured to be in the salon. Provided people are operating legally in line with Government and local authority guidelines, the policy will respond to allegations of negligence against the policyholder, in the same way as for alleged injuries arising from treatment.

What should I be including on my client record card? You should already be keeping client record cards as part of your terms and conditions and the declaration questions agreed with ABT when taking out the policy. Without these your policy may be invalid. You should already be including on your treatment record cards, client’s name and contact details, this could include address, phone number and an email. Client record cards should also include the date, time and the treatment title that was had by your client. You could go into further details and note the products you used during the treatment or any comments mentioned by the client in reference to the treatment. If required it could be worth noting the date that you carried out your client’s last patch test so to keep in line with policy and manufacturing guidelines which could require you to patch test every 3 months. You could go into further details and note if any retail items were bought and aftercare advice you have provided, however we do understand that sometimes not all of this can be done after each client, the more detail that is kept the better it is to assist with a potential claim.

Are there any treatments that I can’t perform due to COVID-19 restrictions? At present the industry is awaiting a roadmap at Government level. Provided people are operating legally in line with Government and local authority guidelines, the policy will respond to allegations of negligence against the policyholder, in the same way as for alleged injuries arising from treatment.

What do I do in the event of notification of a claim?

What do I do if someone makes an allegation or claim against me?

If you have a claim or become aware of an incident that could result in a claim, please contact ABT preferable by email on info@abtinsurance.ie so that we can make sufficient notes on your policy. You will then be directed to the Claims department at Balens Ltd on +44 (0) 1684 893 006. To ensure we maintain a high-quality service, we may monitor or record telephone calls.

Report it immediately to us and follow the claims procedure. ABT and Balens will support you in the ‘normal way’ by getting all relevant information together for insurers. Do not admit liability and please refer to your policy document for full claims conditions.

Balens will: • Confirm whether the event is insured • If necessary, arrange for a loss adjuster to contact you • Give you advice on how your claim will be dealt with and any excess you may have to pay. In most cases you will need to complete a claim form. If Balens cannot settle immediately, your claim will be under the personal control of a nominated claims handler who will manage the whole claim and will act as your point of contact. Balens will give you regular progress reports and settle your claim as fairly and promptly as possible. Do not admit liability, please refer to your policy document for full claims conditions. We have more information on our membership website www.irishbeauty.ie in regard to ‘What to do in the Event of a Complaint or Claim?’ http://www.irishbeauty.ie/dealing-therapy-insurance-claims.html

Can I carry out a Consultation virtually? What about patch tests ahead of treatments?

Can ABT provide guidance on H & S considerations? Many of you are asking, if the policy will contain any new conditions that you will need to observe for treating/instructing clients, ie using PPE etc. At this present moment in time, we are not thinking about amending the policy to include conditions about practice protocols. If this situation changes, we will notify you accordingly. Please continue to observe all other terms and condition of cover however, and also government guidelines as instructed on www.gov.ie The situation is an evolving one and as lockdown reduces and the “phased” return to work approach expands, we will be constantly monitoring and reviewing the situation and updating our members through our websites, social media and emails.

Online Consultations are fine. Patch tests should be posted out to the client, and the client would need to confirm in writing that they have done it and the therapist confirm there was no reaction during the consultation; a declaration from the client or similar is acceptable.

If a customer gets COVID-19 and blames the salon, will our insurance cover us?

Ideally, this conversion would take place via Skype, Zoom or similar so that the therapist can confirm with their own eyes there is not issue.

Provided people are operating legally in line with Government and local authority guidelines, the policy will respond to allegations of negligence against the policyholder in the same way as for alleged injuries arising from a treatment.

ABT’s policy wording states: “The record should include evidence of patch testing where applicable.” Salons / mobile professionals should only perform treatments that they feel safe and qualified to perform. If there are reasons during a consultation that they feel the treatment should not go ahead, then they should not continue.

his information is advisory only and has been produced to assist members, it’s by no means exhaustive nor a set of rules that must be followed. You do not need to adhere to all the points within to be insured, quite simply – provided you are operating legally in line with Government and local authority guidelines, the policy will respond to allegations of negligence against the policyholder. The information is based upon opinion, expertise and public knowledge as of 1.6.2020; it has not been issued by the Irish Government (www.gov.ie). Please check the government website for the latest updates and ensure that you are complying with government guidance. This information does not constitute legal requirement. ABT do not incur any liability for this information.

Useful Resources

Government Information

Irish Beauty

Please check the government website for the latest updates and ensure that you are complying with government guidance.

For daily updates on education, product launches and guides to navigate through this time, as well as access to our bi-monthly membership magazine, Irish Beauty, available to read for free online.

www.gov.ie

www.irishbeauty.ie

ABT Membership Updates By checking with these websites regularly you will be kept informed with current situations and will be provided with useful articles which are updated daily on the beauty and hair industry. ABT COVID-19 www.abtinsurance.ie/covid19.html

Insurance Information If you need further information on updates from ABT in regards to COVID-19, taking out or renewing insurance policies or policy documentation including terms and conditions, then please see the below resources.: ABT Insurance - COVID-19 Update www.abtinsurance.ie/covid19.html ABT Insurance www.abtinsurance.ie

ABT E-Newsletters and Email Communications Please make sure you have marked ABT emails as acceptable for your inbox to avoid missing important information about your policy, guidelines surrounding COVID-19 and updates regarding the industry.

Email addresses to look out for are @abtinsurance.ie @irishbeauty.ie Please note ABT will never send you an email asking for payment or card details, please take note that this could be a scam and we ask if you are unsure to please call the office on 1800 625 180 from a landline or +44 1789 773434 from a mobile.

ABT Social Media Below are the links to our social media channels, we ask you to follow at least one of these channels so that we can keep all our members up to date with the latest industry news this includes providing key information regarding ABT.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/irishbeauty/

Facebook : www.facebook.com/irishbeautyshow/

Twitter: twitter.com/irishbeautyshow/

≠≠≠

Government Financial Support Government has implemented a number of schemes for employees, self-employed and small businesses during COVID-19 restrictions. For Small Businesses (all loans and grants are subject to eligibility) Firstly, talk to your bank who may be able to offer payment holidays or emergency working capital facilities. Also get advice from your accountant or your Local Enterprise Office, and engage with Revenue for advice on tax payments and ‘Warehousing’ of deferred tax debts. COVID-specific government-supported schemes available to small businesses include: Credit Guarantee Scheme: The Credit Guarantee Scheme supports loans up to €1 million for periods of up to 7 years. Applications can be made to AIB, Bank of Ireland and Ulster Bank. Information is available at www.dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Supports-for-SMEs/ COVID-19-supports/Credit-Guarantee-SchemeCOVID-19-FAQ.html COVID-19 Business Loans: Microenterprises can access COVID-19 Business Loans of up to €50,000 from Microfinance Ireland, with terms including six months’ interest free and repayment free moratorium, with the loan to then be repaid over the remaining 30 months of the 36-month loan period. Apply through your Local Enterprise Office or at www.microfinanceireland.ie. COVID-19 Working Capital Scheme: The COVID-19 Working Capital Scheme supports loans from €25,000 up to €1.5 million (first €500,000 unsecured) with a maximum interest rate of 4%. Information is available at www.sbci.gov.ie. Future Growth Loan Scheme: An additional €500 million in COVID-19 funding will be made available through the Future Growth Loan Scheme to provide longer-term loans to COVID-19 impacted businesses. Sustaining Enterprise Fund: The Sustaining Enterprise Fund is specifically aimed at firms operating in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors, with 10 or more employees, that are vulnerable but viable.

Operated by Enterprise Ireland, the fund provides repayable advances of up to €800,000 as agreed with the EU under new State Aid rules. Information is available at www.globalambition.ie/supports/innovation-support/ sustaining-enterprise-fund Sustaining Enterprise Fund for Small Enterprise: As part of the Sustaining Enterprise Fund, the Sustaining Enterprise Fund for Small Enterprise provides a short term working capital injection of up to €50,000 to smaller companies to support business continuity. Information is available at www.enterpriseireland.com/en/funding-supports/Company/EsetablishSME-Funding/Sustaining-Enterprise-Fund-SmallEnterprise.html Restart Grant: The Restart Grant provides direct grant aid to micro and small businesses to help with costs associated with reopening and reemploying workers following COVID-19 closures. Available to businesses with a turnover of less than €5m employing up to 50 people which were closed or impacted by at least a 25% projected reduction in turnover to the end of June 2020, the grants are equivalent to the rates bill of the business in 2019, or a minimum grant of €2,000, with a maximum grant of €10,000. Apply through local authorities. Trading Online Voucher: The Local Enterprise Office Trading Online Voucher is a government grant scheme to assist small businesses with up to 10 employees to trade online. Up to €2,500 is available along with training and advice. Information is available at www.localenterprise.ie/Discover-BusinessSupports/Trading-Online-Voucher-SchemeCOVID-19 Business Financial Planning Grant: The COVID-19 Business Financial Planning Grant is worth up to €5,000, available to Enterprise Ireland clients, manufacturing or internationally traded services companies that employ 10 or more full time employees. It helps companies to develop a robust financial plan, including preparing documentation required to support applications to banks and financial providers. Information is available at www.globalambition.ie/ supports/innovation-support/covid-19-businessplanning-grant/

Useful Resources

For individuals If you are unable to work in your usual role due to COVID-19 restrictions, make sure you apply for the correct income support or wage subsidy payments: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment Regardless of whether you are employed or selfemployed, if you have lost your job or have been laid off temporarily because your place of work is closed due to COVID-19, you can apply for the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment. Information is available at www.gov.ie/en/service/be74d3-covid-19-pandemicunemployment-payment Covid-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit Regardless of whether you are employed or selfemployed, if you have been diagnosed with Covid-19 or are medically certified to self-isolate as a result of COVID-19, you can apply for Illness Benefit for COVID-19 absences which is higher than the standard rate. Information is available at www.gov.ie/en/service/ df55ae-how-to-apply-for-illness-benefit-for-covid19-absences

Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme If you are self-employed and pay yourself as a PAYE worker through your payroll, you can apply for the Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme from the Revenue Commissioners. This scheme is also available for employers who have lost at least 25% of their trade; you can claim 70% of your employeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; net wage back (up to a maximum of â&#x201A;Ź410) through this scheme. Information is available at www.gov.ie/en/ service/578596-covid-19-wage-subsidy

Short Time Work Support Those placed on a shorter working week temporarily, e.g. if your employer cuts your regular hours to enable the salon to operate social distancing, you can apply for Short Time Work Support in respect of your regular salary for the days that you are no longer working. Information is available at www.gov.ie/en/service/c20e1b-short-time-worksupport

Further Education & Guidance for reopening after COVID-19 Education Dermalogica have developed a new online class to learn about Dermalogica’s 12 key principles for enhanced service safety as well as some best practices to implement in your business. After testing your knowledge and making a pledge to uphold these principles, you will earn your Dermalogica Clean Touch Certification and receive a detailed guide as reference. www.dermalogicalearning.com/gpess-login-select/ In addition, Dermalogica are publishing free ‘Back in Touch’ videos: bit.ly/3eibkSS

BARBICIDE

Barbicide has developed a free certification course that covers infection control showing your clients that you are educated in delivering a safe space and service for them and your staff. ®

barbicide.com/certification/

Posters & Signs for Your Premises Not only to print off and use, but also useful to read and educate or certain protocols surrounding prevention and cleanliness:

World Health Organisation (WHO) www.who.int/gpsc/clean_hands_protection/en/ www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novelcoronavirus-2019/advice-for-public

ABT & Irish Beauty Magazine ABT and Irish Beauty will be providing generic signage that you can download for free and use from home, mobile or salon to tie in with salon branding. We understand that you might not want your beautifully created salon to look

Engage with clients and let them know you’re reopening If you are looking at ways to re-engage with your clients and let them know that your salon or home and mobile services are reopening in line with government guidelines, it’s time to get them as excited as you are, so these industry specific resources could give you some helpful hints and tips to be ahead of the rest. Here are some resources that may be useful: Facebook Social media platform Facebook have put together a useful guide specifically for salons and spas reopening during COVID-19. Access it at: www.facebook.com/business/boost/resource/ salonandspa?lead_source=business-resource-hub Organic Colour Systems Hair experts Organic Colour Systems have put together social posts and captions that their customers can use on return to the salon. They hope that these will help their customers engage with their clients, and give them one less thing to do once they are back and busy, busy, busy! Access them at: www.organiccoloursystems.com/socialmedia-support/

clinical so have different colourways of useful signs. www.irishbeauty.ie

Instant Print Instant print is an online printing company that have created signage for our industry. Their templates may provide you with the signage you were looking for in your salon and beauty rooms. www.instantprint.co.uk/coronavirus-safety-signs/ beauty-gyms-and-leisure

@IrishBeautyShow

ABT Reopening with Confidence COVID-19 Guide

Articles inside

Guidance for operating your mobile business safely

Useful Resourses

Guidance for re-opening your salon safely

Your Free Poster - ‘How We are Complying with Salon Guidelines

What ABT are Doing